Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Nonplanar uniform thickness material
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-17
2001-02-20
Loney, Donald (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Nonplanar uniform thickness material
C428S136000, C428S156000, C428S174000, C428S184000, C206S814000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190756
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a connected hollow structure having a large number of parallel hollow portions of a predetermined sectional shape, and a packaging member.
BACKGROUND ART
Corrugated fiberboards are, for instance, typical of a conventional member fabricated from paper sheets having hollow portions parallel to one another.
The corrugated fiberboards are classified into A to E-flute corrugated fiberboards according to the size of flutes, and also classified into a single faced corrugated fiberboard, a double faced corrugated fiberboard, a double wall corrugated fiberboard and a triple wall corrugated fiberboard according to differences in structure.
These corrugated fiberboards are used for forming packaging boxes, cushioning materials and other packaging members. Recently, a proposal has been made that a layered corrugated fiberboard be used for forming cushioning materials for packaging, frame structures for packaging, and core materials of heat-insulating panels or the like.
The corrugated fiberboard and the layered corrugated fiberboard member as described above have the following problems.
Namely, one of the problems is that the corrugated fiberboard must be fabricated by the use of base boards, and as a result, it is not possible to freely select a material (i.e., base board) for the corrugated fiberboard.
Another problem is that since the corrugated fiberboard is a standardized product, there are restrictions on selection of void content (which means a ratio of the sectional area of hollow portions to the whole sectional area in a section crossing at a right angle to the hollow portions) for the corrugated fiberboard.
A further problem is that it is not possible to freely select a sectional shape for the hollow portions.
In connection with the above problems, a still further problem is that cushioning materials, packaging frame structures and other packaging members which are formed by the use of layered corrugated fiberboards are limited in selection of their hardness or the strength of elasticity from the viewpoint of design. Coincidentally, this problem means that their use is restricted within narrow limits.
A yet further problem is that several pieces of base boards and linerboard, and besides, a large number of steps, are required for fabricating a corrugated fiberboard, and as a result, high fabrication cost is inevitable.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a connected hollow structure, in which its material may be more freely selected according to intended purpose (use), and a packaging member comprised of such a connected hollow structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a connected hollow structure, in which its void content may be freely designed according to the intended purpose, and a packaging member comprised of such a connected hollow structure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a connected hollow structure, for which the sectional shape of hollow portions may be freely selected according to the intended purpose, and a packaging member comprised of such a connected hollow structure.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a connected hollow structure, in which its hardness and the strength of elastic force and withstanding strength may be selected more freely according to the intended purpose, in cooperation with the selection of the material and the freedom of design of the void content and the sectional shape of hollow portions, and a packaging member comprised of such a connected hollow structure.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a connected hollow structure, which is fabricated through fewer steps by the use of a piece of sheet, to which various kinds of materials are applied, and a packaging member comprised of such a connected hollow structure.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a connected hollow structure which may be used for a variety of purposes.
In order to attain the above objects, a connected hollow structure according to the present invention is formed as follows.
According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a large number of hollow structures of an arbitrary sectional shape are connected in parallel to each other, and the connected hollow structure is comprised of a sheet and takes a shape resembling a unicursal figure in section.
The sheet may be freely selected from a group consisting of ordinary sheets, water-resistant sheets, coated printing sheets having coated surfaces, laminated sheets, styrene paper (formed by solidifying a non-woven fabric into a sheet-like shape by means of heating or using a resin, for instance), hard or semi-hard plastic sheets, thick paper, corrugated fiberboards, thin plywood and so on.
The hollow structures adjacent to each other are bonded together with an adhesive or connected or joined together directly or indirectly through other means.
The connected hollow structure in the first embodiment has cushioning properties depending on the quality of the sheet selected as the material of the connected hollow structure or the sectional shape and apparent specific gravity (i.e., void content) of the hollow structures, since the hollow structures are deformed when an external force is applied to the connected hollow structure in a direction crossing each hollow structure. The connected hollow structure of the first embodiment is suitable for use as a cushioning material, a packaging frame structure or like packaging member by making use of its elasticity depending on the sectional shape of the hollow structures, and besides, may be used for various purposes by making use of the hollow structures.
Thus, it is possible to fabricate a connected hollow structure, which has an apparent specific gravity (void content) suitable for the intended purpose and which shows the withstanding strength or elasticity suitable for the purpose, by freely selecting the shape and sectional area of the hollow structures and the quality of the sheet, as described above.
Further, since the connected hollow structure takes the shape resembling a unicursal figure in section and is comprised of a single sheet, it is possible to fabricate the connected hollow structure through fewer steps at low cost.
Furthermore, the connected hollow structure is designed more freely, and therefore, may be used for a variety of purposes.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, the hollow structures include first and second hollow structures each having a corner portion of a convex angular section. Each first hollow structure having the corner portion directed toward one surface of the connected hollow structure and a partial circumference facing the other surface of the connected hollow structure and each second hollow structure having the corner portion directed toward the other surface of the connected hollow structure and a partial circumference facing one surface of the connected hollow structure, are formed in an alternate arrangement, and the first and second hollow structures adjacent to each other share in common at least a part of side walls, which include each corner portion.
The connected hollow structure in the second embodiment is easily patterned according to the intended purpose by selecting the sectional shape and size of the hollow structures, since the first and second hollow structures are formed in an alternate arrangement such that the corner portion of each first hollow structure is directed to be substantially reverse to that of each second hollow structure.
Further, the first and second hollow structures are formed in a dense arrangement, since the first and second hollow structures adjacent to each other share in common at least a part of the side walls, which include the corner portion of each hollow structure. Therefore, the connected hollow structure in the second embodiment is suitable for use as not only a packaging member, but also as a core material of a heat-insulating panel or like panel and as a carrier for carrying a
Yamamoto Masahiro
Yokoyama Yoshimasa
Hitachi Zosen Corporation
Loney Donald
Lorusso & Loud
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